The Winchester iPod
by ExpandingDarkness
Summary: Dean browses Sam's iPod one night. Lyrics from White Tie Affair, Five Finger Death Punch, Three Days Grace, and Skillet. Set Season 3.


Dean Winchester knew something was up at 3 o'clock in the morning when he woke up and saw Sam's bed empty. Dean got up and checked the bathroom and swept his eyes around the room. Sam was nowhere in sight. Concerned, Dean was about to grab his phone and call his brother, but then spotted Sam's phone on his bedside table. Sam never went anywhere without his phone so he couldn't be far. Determined to find his brother, Dean left the motel room and headed down the stairs outside. The night was dark, but with the lights of the motel signs on Dean could see out into the parking lot. He spotted his Impala and then a person inside. Must be Sam, he surmised. Walking down into the parking lot, he came around to the car and opened the door. He heard music blasting out the earphones in his younger brother's ears.

"Gonna bust his eardrums," Dean muttered, used to reprimanding his brother like a mother hen. He would never admit it aloud and definitely not to Sam, but he sometimes enjoyed being mother, father, and brother to his sibling. It gave him a purpose. Plus, he got bitching rights.

Rolling his eyes, Dean reached for the iPod attached to the earphones. He was curious as to what was playing. He guessed it was some kind of emo depressing music since that seemed what Sam liked. Dean had never actually asked what was on the iPod. All he knew was that Sam had saved up his money for an iPod Touch and bought iTunes cards every once and a while to buy songs off of iTunes. Sam was very possessive of his iPod also. He never let it out of his sight or left it without putting it in a secure pocket of his backpack or suitcase. Dean carefully pressed the menu button several times until he got to the Artist List. Then he scrolled down the list of music. All-American Rejects, The Beatles, Big & Rich, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Breaking Benjamin, Bullet for My Valentine, Cobra Starship, Coldplay, Creed, Daughtry, Disturbed, Fall Out Boy, The Fray, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Journey, Kanye West, Korn, Linkin Park, Matchbox Twenty, My Chemical Romance, Nickelback, Puddle of Mudd, Skillet, Three Days Grace, Trapt, White Tie Affair, 3 Doors Down, 3OH!3. . .those were just a few bands.

Dean was growing even more curious with all of the diverse bands on Sam's iPod. How had the kid accumulated so much music? There was about a thousand songs on there! Dean bit his lip as he sat down beside Sam and closed the door. He could hear some sort of pop-ish dance music playing from the earphones. It was catchy, Dean had to admit. He listened in at the words.

_What if I fall along the way? Would you be there to ease the pain? Took my one shot, picked it up and threw it away. Won't be long, won't be long before I break. _

It was some kind of band called "The White Tie Affair" and the song was called "Candle (Sick and Tired)". Dean thought it was a bit too girly for his taste. He changed the song and saw his brother grimace at the loudness in his sleep. Dean also winced, he wasn't purposely meaning to disturb Sam. He then listened to the words in the song and frowned.

_I'm so fed up with everyone around me, no one seems to care. I'm just so far gone and nothing's gonna change, I'll never be the same. It's always do this, do that, everything they want to. I don't want to live that way! Every chance they get they're always pushing me away. It's never enough, no, it's never enough. No matter what I say. It's never enough, no, it's never enough. I'll never be what you want me to be. _

Dean's frown grew deeper at the song called "Never Enough" by Five Finger Death Punch. He hoped that Sam didn't have that low esteem that he thought that he was just being pushed around constantly. Dean really cared about his brother, he never purposely wanted to put him down. Dean quickly changed the song and continued to listen.

_I can't escape this Hell. So many times I've tried. But I'm still caged inside. Somebody get me through this nightmare, I can't control myself. So what if you can see the darkest side of me? No one will ever change this animal I have become. Help me believe it's not the real me. Somebody help me tame this animal. _

Dean cringed at the reference to their daily lives. Sam was becoming more and more erratic with his demonic powers and it was starting to consume him, Dean knew. However, the older brother kept listening until he hit the part:

_Somebody help me through this nightmare. I can't control myself. Somebody wake me from this nightmare. I can't escape this Hell. _

Okay, Three Days Grace was out of the picture since it was coming too close to their own lives. He scrolled up and down the list until he came to a band with a unique name. Cobra Starship. He looked at the list of songs and randomly selected one named "Whispers In The Dark".

_Despite the lies that you're makin', your love is mine for the takin', my love is just waitin' to turn your tears to roses. I'll be the one that's gonna hold you, I'll be the one that you run to. My love is a burnin', comsuming fire. No! You'll never be alone! When darkness comes, I'll light the night with stars. Hear the whispers in the dark. No! You'll never be alone! When darkness comes, you know I'm never far. Hear the whispers in the dark. _

Dean grinned. Now _this_ was his kind of music. It was hardcore metal with good lyrics. Not as fantastic as his Metallica, but Sam had at least one good song. After browsing through Sam's playlists, Dean made a decision. Maybe Sam was right that cassettes were yesterday's news. Maybe he needed to get an iPod.

Though he could never tell Sammy about it.


End file.
